Sorry folks, Blogging has escaped me lately. I've kept busy! I moved into a new condo two weeks ago and have been unpacking ever soooo slowly seems to be taking me forever. The kitchen is practically done and arranged how I want it finally. OMG what a kitchen! So much space and openness compared to my last place which some of you will remember! It has a breakfast bar with open space to put two bar stools there which is perfect and I got rid of desk and will begin working there. It also has a wood-burning fireplace YES! A washing/dryer stackable machine again, YES! And they will put in an A/C unit in May for the summer. Definitely an UPGRADE from my last place having all those amenities. Eventually I'd like to throw out my old couch for a nice size love seat and the living room will look cozier. Oh and I need a new bed frame now, grrr don't ask. Craigslist has some nice ones for sale when the time is right I'll go get one.

The picture above, I cut my hair to just past my shoulder length and she styled it straighten it all out. How weird it was, seeing myself with straight hair I cannot remember the last time it was styled like that, if ever.

I performed in the Vagina Monologues Feburary 10th and 17th. My character was a lawyer by day, dominatrix who performed for women only by night. That was alot of fun playing that character. I did impressions of different orgasms like for example the African American moan I signed and screamed "Raise the roof oh yes raise my rooooof!" haha and for the mountaintop moan I yodeled. I kid you not, I filled up that theatre yo yo yo yooddeeelll aaaaaa eeeeee oooohh!

We performed with one other person on stage, one hearing actor and one deaf actor for this play. The hearing actress her name is Rachel ha go figure! She begged me to yodel instead of her (we were switching off moans where she does one and I do one) said I did a way better job at it than she ever could. She's actually an author, her name is Rachel Snyder and she has written 365 Well Being Tips for Women. Check it out. She gave me an autographed copy. I think the best moan we did on stage together would be the doggy moan, where we panted at the same time and then she turned and I pretended to doggy style her. HA! The audience was great both nights, lots of laughter!

My social circle here is growing and I'm enjoying making quality heart to heart friendships with people here. I love my job, the responsibilities have expanded since I last blogged. I am now the Dance and Music teacher on Wednesday enrichment programs. I taught them basics of how to identify the beat and groove to it. Next week I will be introducing the 1920s music and build up from there to modern day music. We have some awesome guest coming later in the year, they expressed a desire to learn how to break dance so we asked someone in the community who is good at it to come show how to do that. Last year I only taught Art classes to 2nd and 3rd grade now I'm the Art teacher for pre-school through 4th grade. They also started me working with the preschool and kindergartners more too. I sign them a story everyday and get them talking about the characters and relating to it in real life, then help them settle down for their naps. Gosh the many hats I'm wearing at RMDS!

College....gosh that's another blog. I may have to fight at the national level with Colorado Department of Education and my college since they are telling me I cannot get my Special Education License to teach since I fail to pass "phonics testing" for the program. I've been seeking help from the Legal Center for Disabilities outside of the college and we're building ground work for a case. It's blatant discrimination. I have no desire to go into a school and teach phonics, I struggle as it is to enunciate all my sounds and words as it is in the hearing community much less is there a desire to be in that career field. I do however want to work with the special education non verbal population of children and that population is HUGE. Rather than applauding for grunts they make in relation to phonics, I'd like to be able to give them an alternative language in which they could find their voices easier, such as through adaptive technology devices, sign language, symbolic languages, gesturing etc. On my drivers license there is an R for restriction since I need glasses to drive. Why can't I get the same kind of license with an R saying I can work with the non verbal population but can't with the ones that are verbal. I wouldn't mind working in an Autism Center where sign language is promoted and encouraged, or with Deaf Plus children (Deaf with additional disabilities) and so forth...

Never thought I'd be fighting for the education and degree I want. I simply enrolled in school like any other student and have met most of the challenges and demands that the Special Education major curriculum demands of us, all but the phonics section. They list on every syllabus that the ADA will be effective on campus and accommodations can be made. When push comes to shove though you have to fight for those accommodations, they aren't really given.

Gallaudet teaches one semester of graphic phonics, I have asked the head of the Special Education department to contact Gallaudet and get that information, I'd be more than willing to tackle and learn it. I just want their expectations of me to be realistic. I'm never going to turn hearing and be able to identify with 100% how to break down words into phonemes and whatnot. It's like asking a blind man to study and pass color theory. It's ridiculous.

Guess that wasn't another blog! I poured it all out in this one. Well that's what I've been up to. Also getting DeafACT off the ground as well, we raised 17,000 for DOVE by performing in the Vagina Monologues, and an additional 2,000 for V-Day Campaigns. My mother and my brothers' girlfriend even attended! Mom had never heard of the Vagina Monologues and said "Nothing could have prepared me for your role in this, but I found you to be funny and you performed well" haha not too many people could be faking a bunch of orgasms in front of their mother, what helped was I didn't know which night she was going to come and I didn't ask.

I'm almost sad it is all over now. I could totally keep performing over and over I had so much fun with it! Well I need to zoom over to my place and unpack before Mya comes for dinner. I wanted to tidy up some too (but my kitchen is immaculate!) Will blog again later!

Ta ta for now!

Tiff and I

What's new?

There's a new organization just starting up. The idea came originally from Austin, Texas to establish educational theatre in which children performed in American Sign Language (ASL) thereby educating and exposing the hearing community to be invited where both cultures can learn from each other. They actually had the goal for those on Board to be consisted of half hearing and half Deaf members serving and operating the organization. Mission accomplished in Austin, now spreading, next stop? Denver! Home sweet home.

I believe we have most of the positions filled and/or they're really filling up fast. There's been quite a bit of interest expressed in it from the community, the parents of deaf children, CODAs, deaf and hard of hearing kids, etc. I looked at the website a few times, even became interested in one position after reading its responsibilities, Volunteer Coordinator. Which would basically be in charge of contacting newspapers, putting together flyers, recruiting and managing volunteer teams, grants and fund-raiser writing and helping to manage Board meetings. I submitted an application, put my best foot forward, listed the experiences I've had with volunteering, grant-writing for RMDS and working with deaf, hard of hearing, and CODA children.

What do you know? I get the call back for an interview and they were strict about enforcing that to occur it as soon as possible saying they had received a number of applicants for Volunteer Coordinator. I did the interview. I get an email later saying how impressed they were with my application and interview and that they'd selected me as the best candidate for the position, would I accept?

Whoo hoo! You bet I accepted! WOW! I am looking forward to this amazing opportunity to get this organization rolling off the ground and help it to be successful! For all you Coloradoans reading this, if the organization sounds like something you'd like to volunteer for and have fun with, contact me! I'll be setting up an email account for correspondance to occur among interested volunteers! It'll be posted sooner or later when we've worked with the webmaster for a bit. We'll have to get together and see what play we're going to launch then get into flyers to hold auditions.

Here's a URL for the DeafACT operating in Austin, Texas: www.DeafACT.org

What really drew me in about this emerging organization? The fact that they mentioned they'd like to bridge the hearing and Deaf worlds together and build community.

I think the world has a little too much separatism in it and we're desperately in need of a little more unity. If we can teach each other about accepting differences and honoring each other just as we are, then perhaps that could extend that outside beyond the borders of our country.

Idealist concept maybe, but I take idealism to be potential awakenings that have yet to be stirred and unraveled. Certainly, doesn't mean it isn't possible.

Hope you are all in good spirits!

Namaste.

Grrls just wanna have fun!

Cramped quarters, ya think? ;)

PFFFTTHHH!

Letting Go

Fall came early for me this year
Her soulful amber eyes reflected in the mirror
She crept fast behind me bringing whirlwinds of change
Swept me so far out of range

She whispered she heard my heart's desire
It had stumbled a long journey, weary and tired
The endless possibilities that opened and shut
I lifted my glass to the Fates as they cut

How startled I am to see a wake of doors shut
To say goodbye to an old best friend
To say goodbye to another, I once ached to fit
An odd puzzle piece willing to bend
To say goodbye,Cali-Boi,the tide had threatened to engulf us in
And releasing Darlin' how hard it is
The lingering, flickering flames
That hauntingly echoed her name
Seemed to shadow, seemed to follow

The boat prepares to venture and sail
What disappeared were the handrails
To the cloaked crone, I kneeled and hailed

The last full moon of Summer I glimpsed
My single days, squeezed and rinsed
How could I pay homage for the ultimate gift?
The Crone approached, and lifted my chin
Kissed me with her crimson lips
Imparting all her wisdom and tips
The chalice of love, to carefully sip

The chalice of love I carefully sip.

I never thought I'd see this day. The day when life suddenly seems like it's falling into place and you get this feeling that it's flowing exactly how it's meant to...

Most of you know I left Gally for Califunky. Most of you know I've lived in Oregon, Maryland, DC and Cali....before finally nesting again in Colorado. It's been a long road folks, working towards a Bachelors Degree in Special Education and I can almost feel the halfway mark of completing and acquiring such. I never thought I'd get this far. I can begin to tell you how often I've ran out of patience for the whole ordeal. How tired I was/am from being broke due to college books and all it's extras the classes drain you of. Alas, the end justifies the means - does it not?

In a nutshell, what is new in my life at this point is two huge transitions:

I got hired as the part-time Art teacher where I work. This will be an incredibly fun and growing experience for me to learn how to become familiar and design lesson plans that meet the curriculum and Colorado state standards. I'd like to share one part of the wall I did using the following materials: glue, cardboard, yarn, rope, foil, and paint. You can see those materials integrated together to make the art creations I showed you in the photos above.

Also the second transition is rather a happy one, I have an official girlfriend. It's been three years technically since my last one and it feels so strange to say that sentence really. I'm still having to wake up and ask myself if I'm dreaming or... it feels surreal.

We met believe it or not, on the internet arranged for a date and several more followed afterwards. We'd been dating a while, not yet really declaring it exclusive in the beginning stages so I didn't want to really mention it. I didn't know if she was coming or going to be honest. I've dated several women over the last three years and really had the down time to explore what it is that I was hoping for and allow myself to be open to let them discover if I am what they're seeking to grow with as well. I knew I'd recognize her whenever "she" would walk into my path and actually be part of my day to day experiences... The two of us are taking it slow. We may be girlfriends but I like that she has recently signed a year lease at her new apartment she'll be moving into since it allows us down time to focus on building together instead of calling a U-Haul too soon and falling apart. It seems a rare quality: taking the time to build.

I'll tell you a little bit about her. She's hearing, knows the ABC in sign language and in addition has signed up to take an ASL class starting September 6th going until October 25th. My brother Aaron and his girlfriend Katie, are also taking that same class in the same location. It'll really warm my heart Wednesday nights to know the three of them love me enough to give me the best gift I have received in a long time, the gift of communication.

She graduated from Notre Dame University and works as a Property Accountant in real estate. I'm so amazed and I admire her for getting it done the 'right' way and graduating when she did....though she reassures me that I just simply took the "sceneic route" towards accumulating my own Bachelors and there's nothing wrong with that. I have to agree. Life has taught me so much. Relationships of all kinds have taught and shaped me into the person I am today. I am sooooooooo excited to embark on this new journey, both in my career and love life. Blessed be and thank you Goddess for smiling and shining your rays of light on me.

I'll upload a photo of us later. Can't seem to get it to change to jpeg file and saved yet. Hope you are all happy and in good spirits!

Namaste.

A Goddess Invitation

Meet me in the woods, I whisper
Away from all of your obligations
Leave the city to birth a new creation
Allow me to lure you into my temptation

I shall transform before you
Enough to make you weak
Exploring the ties that run deep

I flirt and tease beneath Evergreen shadows
Stirring and invoking a hunter's hunger
The sensual chase begins
And the hunt, you finally win

Charging with all your might, you leap
Trampling me in a playful heap
The opening of my flower
Quivers, awakening Earth's power

Between our lovers gaze
The Beltane fires blaze

-Ray-